This was the day of our excursion from the ship: a Budapest food tour and city walk.
Led by a cute little tour guide, our group left the ship and headed to the tram for a two-stop ride. It was a neat way to start the tour. From there, we walked through many of the sites we had seen the day before. The good part was that this time we were actually given information about what we were seeing.
Led by a cute little tour guide, our group left the ship and headed to the tram for a two-stop ride. It was a neat way to start the tour. From there, we walked through many of the sites we had seen the day before. The good part was that this time we were actually given information about what we were seeing.
|
|
Our first stop was the Shoes on the Danube memorial. From there, we went to see the Parliament Building, specifically the area behind it. We learned that the entire area is considered an outdoor museum. The monuments tell much of the story of what happened during World War I and World War II. It was interesting to see buildings that had been damaged by bombing and never fully restored.
As we walked, I noticed silver circles embedded in the concrete. It turns out they are water jets that shoot up from the ground to cool people off while they explore the area. I had wondered why the pavement was wet; apparently, the fountains had just gone off before we arrived. We were also shown a very shallow reflecting pool. Our guide explained that it was designed so visitors could capture the reflection of the Parliament Building in their photographs. It really worked. |
Our next stop was at a restaurant, where we were introduced to what our guide called a traditional Hungarian breakfast. It consisted of meats, cheeses, pickled vegetables, breads, and a delicious spread made from cottage cheese, paprika, cumin, onion, salt, and pepper. I think I'll have to try making it when I get home. She also told us that Hungarians love winter sausage. They can keep it. Neither Linda nor I thought it was very good.
|
|
Continuing our walk, we headed toward the park area. Along the way, we passed statues of Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush near the American Embassy.
We then stopped at another memorial honoring the 600,000 Hungarians who were killed during World War II. This was the site where Linda and I had seen water shooting out of the ground the day before. It was nice to finally understand its significance. What I had not noticed the previous day were all the memorial plaques and stones surrounding the display. I was amazed by how many stones there were and by the fact that people continue to recognize and honor this memorial in the Jewish tradition. |
|
As we continued walking, our guide shared more of Hungary's history. Along the way, we passed a Buddha statue. Apparently, rubbing Buddha's stomach is considered good luck. You could tell he had been rubbed often as the stomach was the brightest part of him.
The next food stop on the tour was a coffee shop where we sampled three different desserts. My favorite was a small pastry square filled with apricots |
We learned several interesting facts during the tour. First, all the bridges are painted different colors, making it easy to orient yourself within the city. If you see a yellow bridge in one direction and a green bridge in another, you immediately know where you are. There is also a bridge that looks like the Eiffel Tower lying on its side.
We learned why there had been no traffic on the road along the river where we had been walking. On weekends, the city closes the road to vehicles so pedestrians can enjoy the waterfront. That explained why there had been no traffic the day before when we walked down to see the Shoes on the Danube memorial. Another interesting fact was that some of the passages along this road and beneath the tram system have been converted into small bars. These are open mainly on the weekend evenings for people to enjoy.
We learned why there had been no traffic on the road along the river where we had been walking. On weekends, the city closes the road to vehicles so pedestrians can enjoy the waterfront. That explained why there had been no traffic the day before when we walked down to see the Shoes on the Danube memorial. Another interesting fact was that some of the passages along this road and beneath the tram system have been converted into small bars. These are open mainly on the weekend evenings for people to enjoy.
Before dinner, there was a Captain's Reception. We were treated to a glass of champagne and two canapés. During dinner, the ship quietly left port.
The evening's entertainment was a Silent Disco. That was not something I planned to participate in. I tried working on the blog a little longer, but the Wi-Fi issues finally convinced me to give up.
Kathleen was so tired that she was asleep almost before her head hit the pillow.
I grabbed my walking shoes and jacket and headed up to the sun deck. Annette was already there, so I joined her for a walk around the deck. Before long, another woman joined us. Annette called her "Australia," and she introduced herself as Alison.
The three of us completed several laps together before Annette called it a night. Alison and I kept going for at least ten more laps. I eventually lost count.
The evening's entertainment was a Silent Disco. That was not something I planned to participate in. I tried working on the blog a little longer, but the Wi-Fi issues finally convinced me to give up.
Kathleen was so tired that she was asleep almost before her head hit the pillow.
I grabbed my walking shoes and jacket and headed up to the sun deck. Annette was already there, so I joined her for a walk around the deck. Before long, another woman joined us. Annette called her "Australia," and she introduced herself as Alison.
The three of us completed several laps together before Annette called it a night. Alison and I kept going for at least ten more laps. I eventually lost count.